Rangers dont appear set to move on from Jacob Trouba despite playoff struggles
Regarding the Rangers, five days away from the first round of the draft, eight days away from the opening of the free agent market:1.The buyout period opens Wednesday and lasts through June 30 but after touching base with several league-wide informants, there is no indication that the Blueshirts are contemplating a buyout of Jacob Trouba.Now, GM Chris Drury keeps everything close, but sources are divided on whether the team will seek to move the captain after he submits his 15 team no-trade list on July 1.Trouba was obviously compromised during the playoffs when he either did or did not play on a broken ankle.
It’s semantics at this point.It might be fair to second-guess the decision to bring Trouba off IR for the final nine games of the regular season after having missed 11 with the injury he sustained on March 4, but that would be on Drury and not the player.It also might be fair to second-guess the decision to play Trouba over Zac Jones as No.
8’s issues compounded during the playoffs, but that would be on head coach Peter Laviolette, not the defenseman who obviously did not have the authority to write his own name on the lineup card.I don’t think the Rangers have the stomach turning over the captaincy again after only two years.Plus, there’s no need for it.
Leadership is not an issue.Trouba has been an important part of establishing a pretty good culture here.
His teammates universally respect him.Ryan Lindgren, an impending restricted free agent, is physical.Braden Schneider, an impending restricted free agent, is physical.
Neither, though, is menacing.You know who is menacing? Trouba is menacing.
He’s the danger.Adam Fox and Schneider will go into camp as the top two on the right side.No one loves having a third-pair defenseman with a cap charge of $8 million, which of course is attached to Trouba.
But the Rangers do not have a viable replacement in the pipeline.That would mean acquiring a replacement either via trade or free agency if the cl...